Packaging made of moulded fibre material

ABSTRACT

Packaging ( 1 ) maid of moulded paper fibre material. An article ( 2 ) is enclosed by an end piece at either side. With this arrangement protection in three directions is necessary. This protection is obtained by means of buffer elements ( 7, 8 ). In order to arrange such buffer elements in a technically simple manner on three sides, it is proposed to construct some of the buffer elements as an upright body, the limiting walls ( 9 ) of which are partially semicircular and partially straight, the straight walls being essentially parallel to one another and merging into the end limit of the packaging.

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging made of moulded fibre material for an article, comprising at least one protective member arranged in said packaging, which protective member has a wall which projects from the base of said packaging and has an essentially flat end surface for contact with said article.

[0002] Packaging of this type is generally known in the state of the art. The aim is increasingly to replace plastic foam packaging by paper fibre material. Environmental considerations are the main reason for this. Packaging of this type is, for example, end pieces that are pushed onto electronic equipment, such as, for example, televisions, video recorders and the like. Packaging of this type is also used for containing smaller articles, such as mobile telephones, razors and the like, on at least four sides.

[0003] With such packaging the specification is always that buffer elements have to be arranged in at least two directions perpendicular to one another. Such buffer elements project from the base of the packaging. If such a packaging is, for example, made in tray form, this means that buffer elements have to be arranged in three mutually perpendicular directions in order to provide protection in the same three directions.

[0004] When moulding products from paper fibre material it is important to be able to work with relatively simple moulds which are designed such that they release in a simple manner.

[0005] A buffer element known in the state of the art is of truncated cone construction. It will be understood that it is not possible to form two such truncated cones in directions perpendicular to one another using a simple one-part mould.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is to provide buffer elements which provide a high degree of cushioning and do not give rise to any restrictions with regard to the ease of release of the product.

[0007] The aim is achieved with a packaging as described above in that said wall comprises a semi-circular wall section with straight wall sections adjoining the latter.

[0008] As a result of making the buffer elements semi-circular instead of completely circular and, of course, positioning them in the correct way, release problems no longer arise. It is true that the effect of such buffer elements decreases compared with the truncated cone-shaped elements described above, but nevertheless a surprisingly good cushioning effect is obtained. In the case of “tray-shaped” packaging there is frequently sufficient space along the side walls to arrange a number of such elements so that the required mechanical properties can be achieved. Furthermore, it has been found that the amount of energy to be absorbed is constant per buffer, can be multiplied and is reproducible.

[0009] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the straight walls described above are substantially parallel. Of course, parallel must also be understood to mean the situation in which the walls are at a slight angle to one another in order to allow release.

[0010] According to a further variant of the invention, a further circular wall section can adjoin the straight section, the curvature of said further circular wall section at the junction with the straight wall section being opposite to the curvature of the semi-circular wall section at the junction with the straight wall section.

[0011] The length of the straight section located between the two oppositely curved wall sections can vary depending on the requirement. In principle, it is possible for the two curved wall sections to adjoin one another directly, so that the straight section is infinitely short.

[0012] According to a further advantageous embodiment, said protective members or buffer elements extend essentially perpendicularly to the related wall.

[0013] As already indicated, various protective members can be arranged alongside one another and a U-shaped space is preferably delimited between them.

[0014] In order to provide adequate “deformation space” in corner regions, it is proposed to arrange the protective elements not in the corner of two adjoining walls but some distance apart. Preferably, such a distance approximately corresponds to the radius of curvature of the semi-circular wall section.

[0015] It is also possible to make this free space such that the free top end of the protective member arranged on one side does not come into contact with the free top end of a protective member arranged on a side extending perpendicularly at that location.

[0016] The packaging will be made depending on the product to be packed and can, for example, be of tray-shaped construction. In any event it is possible to provide one side thereof with the truncated cone-shaped protective members described above. After all, the problem of not allowing release does not exist in one direction. Such complete truncated cone-shaped members are preferably constructed in such a way that the cone angle is relatively small. A cone angle of approximately 7° is preferred. Preferably these cones are not provided with longitudinal seams (approximately parallel to the axis of the cone). It has been found that ideal cushioning characteristics are obtained by this means. If a truncated cone is produced in accordance with these conditions, the cone material will concertina and not knuckle away if it hits an object, for example on falling. The packed product can be better protected as a result.

[0017] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an illustrative embodiment shown in the drawing. In the drawing:

[0018]FIG. 1 shows a perspective plan view of one embodiment of the packaging according to the invention;

[0019]FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the packaging according to FIG. 1; and

[0020]FIG. 3 shows a side view of the packaging according to FIG. 1.

[0021] In FIGS. 1-3 an example of the packaging according to the invention is indicated in its entirety by 1. It must be understood that such a packaging is merely an example. In FIG. 1 an article 2 that can be packed in the packaging is indicated diagrammatically. For instance, it is possible to provide such an article with such a packaging at both ends. Optionally an outer packaging can be fitted in order to hold the packaging 1 in place. However, other types of packaging can also be produced using the present invention.

[0022] The packaging shown in the figures is of tray-shaped construction. This packaging is provided with two side walls 3 and opposite end walls 4 and a base wall 5.

[0023] A number of buffer elements are present. Semicircular buffer elements are indicated by 7, whilst conical buffer elements are indicated by 8. The end wall of conical buffer element 8 is indicated by 13, whilst the end wall of buffer element 7 is indicated by 12. This end wall 12 is constructed to bear against the article concerned.

[0024] Apart from a semicircular upright wall section 9 there are two straight upright wall sections 10 adjoining the latter for each buffer element 7. The straight wall sections extend essentially parallel to one another, provision of course being made to allow release. The step 6 shown in the figures has been made because of a very specific construction of the article to be packed. It will be understood that further variations can be made so that optimum protection of the article to be packed is obtained.

[0025] A groove 15 extends at the boundary of each of the buffer elements and the base wall 5. As a result the buffer element can deform independently of the base wall, as a result of which external forces can be directed and absorbed in an optimum manner.

[0026] The conical buffer element 8 preferably has a cone angle of approximately 4-10° and more particularly approximately 7°. It has been found that at this value, on the one hand, optimum release is guaranteed and, on the other hand, the strength is maximum.

[0027] As has already been indicated above, it is possible to protect a wide range of products using packaging according to the invention. In this context only the shape of the buffer elements is important, and not the construction of the base sides of the packaging from which these buffer elements extend. Moreover, it will be understood that for those skilled in the art a number of variants are obvious after reading the above description, which variants fall within the scope of the present invention as described in appended claims. 

1. Packaging made of moulded fibre material for an article (2), comprising at least one protective member (7) arranged in said packaging, which protective member has a wall which projects from the base of said packaging and has an essentially flat end surface (12) for contact with said article, characterised in that said wall comprises a semi-circular wall section (9) with straight wall sections adjoining the latter.
 2. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein said straight wall sections are essentially parallel.
 3. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a further circular wall section adjoins the straight section, the curvature of said further circular wall section at the junction with the straight wall section being opposite to the curvature of the semi-circular wall section at the junction with the straight wall section.
 4. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said protective member extends essentially perpendicularly to said base.
 5. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, wherein two protective members are arranged adjoining one another and between which a U-shaped space (14) is delimited.
 6. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said packaging has two base sides (3, 4) delimiting a corner, wherein at least one of said walls is provided with a protective member, wherein the smallest distance (a) from said protective member to said corner is approximately half the radius (r) of the semicircular wall section.
 7. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the packaging is of tray-shaped construction and protective members are arranged close to the end limit of the tray sides (3, 4), wherein said semi-circular wall section is close to said end limit and said straight wall sections extend towards the base of the tray. 